Nefesh Mountain blends bluegrass drive with Jewish folk roots, built around the duo of Doni Zasloff and Eric Lindberg and a tight touring band.

City Grit, Mountain Heart

They came up in the Northeast scene but record and road-test like Nashville pros, mixing banjo rolls, fiddle tunes, and Hebrew refrains. Expect a grounded, story-first show where nimble picking sits under warm lead vocals and stacked harmonies. Likely songs include The Narrow Bridge, Hinei Ma Tov, and the instrumental Eretz's Reel, plus a tradition-rooted cover that turns into a reel.

Community in the Groove

The crowd often includes bluegrass heads, synagogue friends, and roots fans, with quiet sing-alongs on the Hebrew lines and dancers near the rail during the fast tunes. Two small nuggets: the band name uses the Hebrew word for 'soul,' and Eric sometimes switches to a modal banjo tuning to darken the edges of a ballad. Note that song choices and staging described here are educated guesses based on recent shows, not a promise.

The Nefesh Mountain Scene Up Close

The room skews multigenerational, with denim and boots next to festival hats and a handful of kippot near the front.

Bluegrass Meets Shabbat-Dinner Warmth

You will see hand-lettered signs for favorite songs, but the vibe stays courteous, more nodding along than shouting. Fans often hum the wordless hooks, and many know the Hebrew refrains well enough to join softly on the choruses.

Little Traditions, Shared Quietly

Merch favors soft tees, lyric booklets with translations, and enamel pins shaped like a banjo or a pomegranate. Between sets, small jam circles sometimes sprout near the back bar, trading reels quietly until the lights dim. The overall feel sits between 70s newgrass fellowship and downtown folk club focus, equal parts picker's showcase and community night.

How Nefesh Mountain Builds the Sound

The vocals center on Doni's clear, rounded tone, with Eric adding a higher harmony that brightens choruses.

Built on Song, Framed by Strings

Arrangements tend to start sparse, one or two instruments, then add banjo rolls, fiddle lines, and mandolin chop until the tune crests. The rhythm section keeps tempos snappy but not rushed, giving solos space to breathe. On some pieces, Eric shifts the banjo to a G-modal flavor for a darker drone, then switches to flatpicked guitar for a brighter second half.

Small Choices, Big Feel

Live, they often stretch the outro of a fiddle tune into a call-and-response, which pulls the crowd into the beat without stopping the flow. Lights tend to stay warm and wood-toned, with cool blues for reflective songs and a starfield look during long sustains. It all serves the core sound: melody first, harmony second, chops in service of feel.

Kindred Pickers for Nefesh Mountain Fans

If you like boundary-pushing string bands, Punch Brothers fans will feel at home with the crisp arrangements and adventurous harmony moves.

Cousins in the Pickin' Family

Sam Bush is a match for the newgrass energy, especially when the tempos lift and the mandolin chops drive the groove. Dobro lovers tied to Jerry Douglas will catch similar tone-first phrasing and the same love for melody over flash.

Why These Fans Cross Over

Jam-friendly pickers who follow The Infamous Stringdusters will vibe with the roomy solos and lift-and-drop dynamics. All four share a respect for tradition with a willingness to color outside the lines, which mirrors how this band blends heritage lyrics with Appalachian forms.